Fireman&#39;s helmet.



v No. 645,281. Patented Mar. I3, |900.

W. C. VAJEN.

FIBEMANS HELMET.

(Application filed Aug. 7, 1896.)

(No Model.)

Pani

'WILLIS C. VAJEN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FIRENIAN s H ELM ET,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 645,281, dated March 13, 1900. Application tiled August 7, 1896. Serial No. 602,010. (No model.)

To all whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS C. VAJEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firemens Smoke -Irotectors, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention consists in certain improvements upon a device for protecting those who are required to be subjected to smoke or fumes, especially firemen, from the eifects thereof of that character which is shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 456,687 to William Bader, dated July 28, 1891, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed. Said iinprovements are the result of extensive experiments and of much observation of requirements in situations where the apparatus has been subjected to practical use.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is a perspective view of the apparatus separately as seen from the front; Fig. 2, a similar view as seen from the rear; Fig. 3, a view of the apparatus in use as positioned upon the upper portion of the person of the user, one side of the casing of said apparatus being broken out to show the interior; Fig. 4, a top or plan view of the air-reservoir and a sectional view of a fragment of the casing of the device; Fig. 5, a vertical sectional view of the valve structure; Fig. 6, a detail transverse sectional view as seen from the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a detail sectional view through one of the eyepieces, and Fig. 8 a detail sectional view through one of the earpieces.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the outer wall or casing of the headpiece of the device; B, the air-cylinder; C, the valve structure; D, a gage; E, a pipe or tube running from the air-cylinder to the interior of the headpiece.

The casing or wall of the headpiece is, as described in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, preferably formed of leather. I have, however, discovered that it is desirable to form said casing of two thicknesses of different qualities. The outer thickness should be tough and close-grained, such as leather, and

treated with a tire-resisting preparation,while the inner thickness is to be of a porous quality, adapted to absorb moisture to some extent, thus counteracting the breath of the wearer in the matter of creatinga vapor within said casing. -form and construction of the lookouts A by making them separate and tubular, as shown, and inserting therein two sheets m m' of transparent material, such as mica. The dead-air space between these two mica sheets prevents the lookouts from being obscured by the vapor of the breath, and thus the swabs shown in the above-mentioned patent are enabled to be dispensed with. the panes of the lookouts with wire guards a', as shown most plainly in Fig. l. The earpieces A2, I have improved somewhat by covering them with screw-caps CL2 at the outer ends of the tubular portions thereof, which caps contain the perforations instead of the casing A of the head-piece proper. Sounding-plates n are inserted immediately below said caps. The straps A3, by which the device is held in place, I have divided into two parts and provided with buckles a3, whereby they are enabled to be adjusted in length. They are provided with snap-hooks s at one end, which are adapted to hook into rings o", secured to the casing A, so that speedy attachment and detachment are provided for. The means provided for excluding air, (shown and described in the prior art,) while valuable and sufficient in many cases, has proved to be not always completely effective, inasmuch as in thick stifling smoke, especially such as is produced from the burning of substances of a snlfurous character, some portion of such smoke occasionally penetrates it to within the headpiece. have adopted a lining A4, composed of sheepskin tanned with the wool on, adapted to rest closely over the shoulders of the wearer, and have also made the flexible fold A5, which is to be gathered around the neck of the wearer, of similar material. By this means I have secured a union between this structure and the body of the wearer which is for all practical purposes smoke and vapor proof, so that any intrusion of the surrounding vapors is rendered impossible, while the gradual escape of consumed air from the inside through I have also improved the' I also preferably protect To overcome this, I v

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the wool is not unduly obstructed. The substitution of this wool fabric for the thin dexible material formerly used and the addition of the wool lining to rest upon the shoulders, thus providing an intermediate space in which the air is practically dead/I regard as one of the most valuable of my improvements.

The air-cylinder B and thegage D do not embody any special novel features. They are simply adapted in form and size to this particular use. I have found in practical use that these parts may be made considerably smaller in proportion to the headpiece than those shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, and they are shown in the drawings of the shape and proportionate size actually employed. These, as well as the valve structure C, are all secured together and are attached to the headpiece A by the straps l and 2. The exterior form of the valve structure C is best shown in Fig. 4, while its construction is shown in detail in Figs. G and 7. This structure contains a main ingress-valve c' at one end and an egress-valve c2 at the other end, which are operated, respectively, by the handles C' and C2. The nipple leading from the outside to the valve c is preferably covered by a cap p, as shown in Fig. 4:. When it is desired to charge the cylinder with compressed air, this cap p is removed and a hose from an air-pump (not shown) is connected. When the cylinder is sufficiently charged, the valve c' is closed, the air-pump detached, and the cap p restored to place. Air is admitted to the headpiece from the cylinder by opening the valve c2 by means of its handle O2, as will be readily understood upon an inspection of Fig. 5. In order that the air may pass in exactly the quantity desired and that the operator need not be obliged to spend the time necessary to secure this result, I have provided a regulating-telve ci, running transversely of the valve c2 and located above said valve, which may be adjusted ,to any predetermined point, so that the valve c2 may be fully opened Without permitting more than the predetermined quantity of air to pass. The construction of this valve c3 is best illustrated in Fig. 6, where it is shown as a small screw-threaded rod inclosed entirely within a perforation, which perforation is covered with a cap p', as shown in said Fig. 6 and also in Fig. 4. When it is desired to change the position of this valve c3, the cap p is removed and a fine screw-driver inserted into the perforation, the valve c3 turned to the position desired, after which the cap p is restored, covering and completely protecting said valve. Obviously a very line graduation can thus be obtained. In order to prevent leakage and also to provide a stop at the proper point, I have made these valves double-seated valves by providing the valvestems with collars c4, which when the valves are entirely opened seat back against shoulders formed in the surrounding structure to receive them, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. Outside of said shoulders said valve structure is provided with stufng-boxes of a usual construction. This second valve-seat, however, is of great value in preventing possible leakage. As will be readily understood, itis highly desirable that none of the air in the cylinder should be wasted.

The tube E leads from the nipple c3 through the wall or casing A to the interior of the headpiece and to a suitable point near the nostrils of the wearer, much as in the abovementioned Patent No. 456,687.'

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, in a firemans smokeprotector, with the casing, of the earpieces, said earpieces being composed of tubular projections, screw-caps covering said projections and having numerous perforations therein, and sounding-plates within said caps immediately under said perforatious, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a iiremans smoke-protector, the com biuation,with the casing, A, forming the headcovering of the lining A4 adapted to lit closely over the shoulders of the wearer, and the exble fold A5 adapted to be secured around the neck of the wearer, said lining and said fold being composed of sheepskin tanned with the wool' on, the wool being upon that surface arranged to come in contact with the person of the wearer, all substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination,with a liremans smokeprotector, and its air-supplying cylinder, of a valve structure containing the ingressvalve c at one end, the egress-valve c2 at the other end, and a regulating-valve cs located in the path leading from the valve c2 toward the interior of the headpiece of the smokeprotector, said several parts being arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a iiremans smokeprotector, and its air-supplying cylinder, of a valve structure containing ingress and egress valves provided with double seats, the second seat being in each case arranged to prevent any escape of air around the valvestem While the valve is open, and a regulating-valve in the path of the egress-valve, all substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 5th day of August, A. D., 1896.

WILLIS C. VAJEN. lVitnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH.

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